Taylor Winston: Iraq veteran who stole pick-up truck to help Las Vegas shooting victims to be given free truck

Former marine says he will sell his current vehicle and donate the money raised to victims of the attack

Monday 09 October 2017 14:19 BST
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Taylor Winston found a pick-up with keys left inside to transport shooting victims to hospital
Taylor Winston found a pick-up with keys left inside to transport shooting victims to hospital

An Iraq War veteran who stole a pick-up truck and loaded it with victims of the Las Vegas attack before driving them to hospital, has been awarded with a new pick-up truck of his own.

The owner of a car dealership in Arizona said he wanted to give the vehicle to 29-year-old Taylor Winston to show his appreciation for what he did.

The former marine was attending the Route 91 Harvest country music festival when gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowds.

After discovering the keys in a pick-up truck near the scene, he used it to ferry around 30 critically injured people to a nearby hospital, along with his girlfriend Jenn Lewis.

Police said 58 people were killed in the attack and 489 were wounded in the attack, which has been described as the worst mass shooting in US history.

After reports of Mr Winston's actions emerged, the owner of B5 Motors dealership in Gilbert, Arizona, posted a plea on Facebook asking to be put in touch with the former US Marine.

It said that people at the firm were "overwhelmed with the heart-breaking stories coming out of Vegas."

It added: "We would like to find Taylor and thank him for his bravery by providing him a free truck from B5 Motors.”

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Within hours the dealership updated followers on Facebook with a message thanking people for helping to locate him.

Mr Winston said he will sell his current vehicle and donate the money to victims of the shooting.

B5 Motors owner Shane Beus told AZCentral that he will be given a silver Ford F-150.

“It’s very, very courageous what he did," he said. “He was willing to risk his life and run back into the storm and help out.”

A new post on the B5 Motors Facebook page has told followers to tune in to watch on Facebook live when Mr Winston arrives to receive the truck.

“We are honoured to play a role in this full-circle story as now Taylor will be selling his current vehicle and donating those funds to the Vegas victims,” the post read.

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